Doosra Dashak was initiated in Rajasthan in 2001 by Foundation for Education and Development [1] (FED) to empower adolescents in the age group of 11-20 years. Doosra Dashak (DD) means ‘second decade’. The focus was on giving a ‘second chance’ and developing a sense of self-worth among out-of-school adolescents and providing them with skills for life. In this section, representatives from Doosra Dashak joins us to discuss about some of the interventions that Doosra Dashak engaged in to empower adolescent boys and girls in Rajasthan.

           Please see this link for a detailed report of Doosra Dashak’s “Full Journey” of its various interventions.

1. Why does Doosra Dashak focus on adolescent boys and girls? What are the urgent policy gaps?

The need for an intervention like Doosra Dashak was based on the premise that adolescents can play the role of catalysts in a process of social transformation.  The proposed vision was  ‘creation of a new social order through community participation, based on values of equity and justice; providing a second chance for education to the unschooled adolescents and the preparation of a cadre of committed adolescents and young persons equipped with relevant education and skills’. Today. the project is operational in nine blocks in seven districts of the state, covering 238 Panchayats and 1,143 revenue villages (MIS data of FED).

By early 2000, research evidence clearly indicated that enrolment in primary grades I-V  had increased steadily since the National Policy of Education (NPE) 1986. On the other hand, it was also evident that there were no central or state government schemes or interventions to address the specific challenges posed by the large proportion of adolescents who were out of school and had no alternative pathways for learning. Despite their dynamism and idealism, they were adrift, vulnerable and at risk. FED felt that there was a need to channelise the potential and talent of marginalised adolescents for constructive purposes by providing them avenues for self- development and a sense of purpose. It took a decision to launch the Doosra Dashak project for the 11-20 age group in 2001.

Doosra Dashak began by addressing the needs of adolescent boys and girls who had been left out of the policy discourse. It has enabled a large number of adolescents to explore new knowledge and charter uninitiated pathways.  This has enabled adolescents to communicate with confidence and provide information to the community on a range of issues. They have been able to raise their voice against practices of early marriage and discriminatory practices. Their employment opportunities have improved and their income has increased. Several adolescents who have benefitted from the DD camps are now engaged in government programmes such as  Asha Sahyogini, Aanganwadi Worker, MGNREGA Mate, Maabadi Shiksha Sahyogi, Police Van Rakshak, Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM), Sathin and Forest Guards. Other have jobs in  banks and as teachers.  They have also contested for the post of  Sarpanch and Ward Panch, and have become members of the Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti.

2. What is an Ikhvelo, and how has it supported the attainment of learning outcomes among adolescents from marginalised communities?

Ikhvelos are continuing education centres set up by Doosra Dashak at the panchayat level to facilitate continuing education and promote reading and learning among adolescents and youth. Over the years, Ikhvelos have emerged as multipurpose centres for the community and adolescents and offer opportunities for peer learning in a conducive environment. With the provision of digital devices (laptops, tablets and smart phones) and the presence of at least one woman supervisor, Ikhvelos attract disadvantaged children and adolescents, especially adolescent girls.  DD block teams spread awareness about open schooling, help out-of-school adolescents submit the required forms, and encourage parents to help their children complete their education. Academic guidance is provided to aspirants through the Ikhvelos where they get help to prepare for their exams.  In 2022-23,  553 adolescents (107 boys and 446 girls) completed Grade 10 and 12 through Open Schooling (DD Annual Report, 2023).

“I belong to a dalit family and was brought up in a conservative milieu. I always wanted to study but I got married when I was in Class 8. I was barely 13 years old. Marriage disrupted my life and dreams. Post marriage, my mobility was restricted both inside and outside the home. Soon after I gave birth to two girls. DD started an Ikhivelo in our village.  I never in my dreams thought that I will get a second chance to study again!  After much persuasion and negotiation with my parents-in-law, at the age of 21, I joined the 4-month residential camp organised by Doosra Dashak. I have now passed my Class 10 through open schooling and I am preparing for my Class 12 exam. I have gained confidence and have become a role model for girls and young women in the village. I want my daughters to be able to complete their education before marriage. I strongly believe that early marriage is a major barrier to women’s education and emancipation”. 

(Female participant in residential camp, Bap)

My association with DD started when I was just 12 years old and was a regular visitor to the Ikhvelo. I was selected by the DD team to participate in a workshop organised by the Azim Premji Philanthropy Initiative [APPI, a  funded project for ‘Empowering marginalised young girls and women as youth leaders’] at Bhopal when I was in Class 12. I came in contact with the staff of APPI who encouraged me to apply to university. I am now pursuing my Bachelor’s degree. My life has changed!

 (Female participant, Pisangan)

3. How has the Gender Equity Movement in Schools for Boys (GEMS) influenced boys’ perspectives and thinking?

DD’s recent involvement in the Gender Equity Movement in Schools for Boys (GEMS) has brought about significant changes in the perspective of boys. It has provided an opportunity for discussing issues of justice and gender equity. DD encourages boys to actively advocate for impartiality both at home and in their communities. Through dialogue and collaborative activities, boys have started to understand the principles of equity and equality in their daily lives e.g. by equal participation in household chores with their mother and sisters. The GEMS project not only influenced boys’ perspective but also changed the thinking of involved teachers, which is given below in one’s own words –

“Before, I used to engage in fights at school, call boys by derogatory names, and tease them. But since I understood the GEMS sessions, I’ve changed a lot. Now, I avoid arguments, call boys by their full names, and don’t use abusive names. I’ve also learned deeply about violence and have applied it in my life” – ( Shambhudayal Jaiman Teacher, Government Secondary School, Khakharwada, Pindwara)

4. What types of training do you provide to develop leadership skills among adolescents? Why is it important to focus on life skills education?

Short-duration training/camps on specific themes like life skills education (LSE) have been organised. 58,734 adolescents have benefitted through DD’s LSE package, which seeks to equip adolescents with reflective, social, and negotiating skills to navigate challenges related to their self-development and nurture their potential to work as agents of social change. In addition, leadership skills are inculcated among youth through discussions on social issues such as caste discrimination, gender equity, and economic disparities. These discussions help them understand and address real-world problems, fostering critical thinking and leadership skills.

 “I have decided that after completing post-graduation, I will prepare for B.Ed. I want to become a government teacher so that I can help those girls who have faced challenges like me.”

(Female beneficiary, Kishanganj) 

Kanta is a resident of a village  situated in the  Aravall valley, bordering Rajasthan and Gujarat. There was a single primary school in the village with high teacher absenteeism. Kanta changed her school which was 50 kilometres from her village. However the teachers were not friendly and used corporal punishment to discipline the students. 

In 2003 Doosra Dashak started its work in Abu Road block .The  DD team met Kanta’s parents and after a lot of cajoling and discussions Kanta agreed to join the camp. Kanta liked the atmosphere of the camp and the behaviour of the camp teachers. She was motivated to study in all seriousness.  After the camp she enrolled in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) and completed Grade 8. She was also active at the community level through Yuva Manch. She realised the importance of education and completed her B.A. and B.Ed. She was keen to serve the nation after meeting former President Shri A.P.J. Kalam with Anil Bordia in 2008. 

She appeared for the competitive exams to join the police department. After the physical training and exam, she was selected in the police force in April 2017. Known as “belt no. 813” Kanta has become a role model for her village and neighbouring areas.  

5. Why is it important to work at the community level? Could you elaborate on how this impact manifests?

Doosra Dashak  believes that to bring about social change on a large scale, community participation and ownership is necessary. It increases the prospects of sustainability of the project. DD invests in nurturing and capacity building of community-based organisations in the form of Yuva Manch and Mahila Samooh in its project villages to implement its programmes, sustain, and deepen their impact.  DD’s youth groups at the village level and Yuva Sakti Sangathan at the block level in project areas are well positioned to assist and guide Sahbhagis (DD beneficiaries) who graduate from its residential camps and short-duration life-skills training. The Mahila Samoohs (women’s groups constituted at the village level)  and Jagrit Mahila Sangathans (groups constituted at the block level)  contribute and work towards improved reproductive health, nutrition, and safe motherhood, and improving the livelihoods and empowerment of rural women.

6. How has educational interventions by Doosra Dashak transformed the lives of adolescent boys and girls?

All the above experiences show that the project enabled a change in attitudes regarding the need for education, especially that of girls. The fact that a large number of girls have participated in the residential trainings with parental support and consent has been a significant step. Parents and community members observed the changes that came about in the boys and girls who attended the camps and encouraged the adolescents to study further (Rajagopal, 2019). In a social context where inequality prevails and poverty, geographic distance, and isolation based on class, caste, gender and religion continue, Doosra Dashak has tried to mitigate the marginalisation of young adolescents and empower them through ‘knowledge and information’.

“I joined the 4-month residential camp in 2007 and later got admission in a government school in grade 7. There were only two girls and the rest were boys. The other girl was absent most of the time. I hated going to school because the boys used to tease me. Doosra Dashak officials helped me get admission in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV), even though it meant going back to Grade 6. After completing my course in KGBV, I took admission in Grade 9 in the government school.  When I was in Grade 12, my father passed away; soon after my mother also passed away. I was informed that there was a scholarship I could apply for to pursue higher education. I joined an undergraduate course. I did not tell anyone at home about the scholarship, because it would have been used for household expenses. I worked at the Ikhvelo along with my studies and completed my BA. Since 2021, I have been working with Educate Girls as a Field Coordinator”.

(Female participant residential camp, Pindwara)

“I participated in the short-term LSE camp organised by DD. I was an active member of Yuva Manch and participated in all the activities while continuing my education. I am now employed in the Indian Railways.  In the camps/training we learnt about the ill effects of dowry and when I married, my family did not demand any dowry. I owe my success to my association with DD”.

(Male participant of LSE training, Bassi)

[1] The Foundation for Education & Development (FED) was registered as a non-profit trust in 2001 by Anil Bordia, the eminent educationist and social activist. He also played a central role in designing innovative programmes like Shiksha Karmi and Lok Jumbish in Rajasthan.

Reference

Foundation for Education and Development (2023). Annual Report, 2022-23. Doosra Dashak, Jaipur.

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Abhimanyu Singh was former Education Secretary, Rajasthan and Joint Secretary, MHRD New Delhi is Chairperson of FED. He served at UNESCO as Director, Education for All (EFA) Paris ,Country Director, Nigeria and as Director and Representative for East Asia at Beijing. He has been closely involved in gender empowerment programmes at the state, national, and international levels as well as at the grassroots.

Shobhita Rajagopal is a gender academic and former Professor, Institute of Development Studies, Jaipur. As a feminist researcher she has been actively engaged on issues related to women’s rights and empowerment in Rajasthan and India. She has several publications to her credit in both national and international journals and books. A recent co-authored publication is Open and Distance Learning in Secondary School Education in India, Potential and Limitations, Routledge, 2019.

Mukta Gupta has been a teacher educator in India as well as in Southeast Asia for over 20 years. For the past 10 years, she has been working on issues related to gender and education as a freelance researcher. Her focus has been on life skills education with marginalised communities in India, especially in Rajasthan. She has worked closely with UNICEF in developing Adhyapika Manch and Meena Manch modules for the Government of Rajasthan. She has been actively engaged with organisations such as Doosra Dashak, Institute of Development Studies, Jaipur and Sandhan, on projects related to girls’ health and education.